3-point radial artery pressure pulse wave transducer using pneumatic system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a pressure pulse wave transducer for sensing change of the blood pressure within vivo and for converting it into an electrical signal to detect the arterial pressure pulse wave.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a radial artery pressure pulse wave transducer for sensing change in the pressure of the blood vessels within in vivo and converting the sensed result into an electrical signal to detect a pressure pulse wave. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for equal pressure distribution at given sensing points using a pneumatic system to improve tightness and simultaneous conversion of force transferred through an air medium into an electrical signal to detect the pressure pulse wave.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Blood pressure is measured in order to present objective information of a body to a doctor to determine whether there exist diseases in the organ related with cardiovascular system and deciding an individual constitution A conventional technology of measuring the blood pressure employs a method by which an electronic sensor such as a piezoelectric device, etc., directly contacting with a human's body to measure change in the pressure within the blood vessel. Further, the measurement method differs from a 3-point measurement method being used as a pulse examination method in an oriental medicine compared with conventional technology detecting and analyzing a signal at one measuring point. Recently, there has been developed several pulse transducers using the 3-point measurement method. However, the device is not reliable due to mechanical failure which comes from an non-uniform measuring condition at 3-point.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention is contrived to solve the above problems and an object of the present invention is to provide a pressure pulse wave transducer that confirms uniform measuring condition on 3-point for the reliability of measured data by using a pneumatic system that applies an uniform pressure at a given sensing point

[0004] In order to accomplish the above object, a pressure pulse wave transducer for detecting pulse waves at three points of the human's wrist according to the present invention, is characterized in that it comprises a body having a space into which the wrist can be suitably inserted in a longitudinal direction; three depressing frames that are consecutively isolated on an internal upper side of the human's wrist in the expanding direction, movably installed up and down and contact with the wrist; a pressure means for uniform pressing of the transducers; three measuring cavities for measurement at each point installed at the end of the three air supply lines and filled with compressed air; measuring cavities into which the air supply lines are inserted, for transferring the pressure pulse wave to the measuring cavity for measurement, wherein the contactor is attached to the outside of the measuring cavity for interconnection with measuring point above radial artery of the wrist; three fine differential pressure sensors connected respectively to ports at one end of the measuring cavities for measurement; a reference cavity is connected to the fine differential pressure sensors, for applying a reference pressure to the fine differential pressure sensors, wherein the reference cavity maintains constant pressure; for detecting tiny pressure change inside the measuring cavity, which represents the blood pressure pulse wave, the differential pressure sensor detects the difference of pressure inside measuring cavity with that of reference cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The aforementioned aspects and other features of the present invention will be explained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0006]FIG. 1 is a construction of the entire system of a pressure pulse wave transducer according to the present invention;

[0007]FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pressure pulse wave transducer according to the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the pressure pulse wave transducer,

[0009]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an radial artery resulting from a depressing by the pressure inside of the measuring cavity applied to the present invention and its result; and

[0010]FIG. 5 is a construction of a pressure controller for providing a compressed air according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail by way of a preferred embodiment with reference to accompanying drawings.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a construction of the entire system of a radial artery pressure pulse wave transducer according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pressure pulse wave transducer according to the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the radial artery pressure pulse wave transducer.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 3, a reference numeral 50 indicates a measurement device body.

[0014] The body 50 has a wrist insertion space 51 into which a wrist 10 is sufficiently inserted in a longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0015] Three depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 are continuously isolated in a longitudinal direction on an internal top of the body 50. The depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 are installed movably up and down and further contact with the skin 12 of the wrist 10. The depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 function to press the skin around the radial artery 11 with a uniform and constant pressure at 3-point based on Pascal's theory.

[0016] In the present embodiment, the depressing cavities for uniform pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73, are each positioned at an upper side of each of the depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 and a lower side of the body 50. The depressing cavities for uniform pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73 communicate via a single air supply line 74, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Further, the depressing cavities for uniform pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73 have same pressure that is set by an air compressor 80 in FIG. 5, which is connected to the air supply line 74. At this time, it is preferred that the depressing cavities for uniform pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73 are made of a thin material having the resilient property.

[0017] A several measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 within which at first, maintains pressure set by controller and after then are isolated from external supplies by closing the solenoid valves 141,142,143 during measurement are installed within the plurality of the depressing frames 61, 62 and 63, respectively. Contactors 101, 102 and 103 are attached to a bottom of each of the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93. At this time, it is preferred that the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 are made of a thin and flexible membrane to satisfy the Principle of Tonometry.

[0018] The contactors 101, 102 and 103 are located on the radial artery 11 and serve to transfer the force of pulse from the radial artery 11 to the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93.

[0019] Therefore, it is preferred that the contactors 101, 102 and 103 are made of a very light material considering the high-speed response requirement for measurement. Further, the cross sectional area of the contactors 101, 102 and 103 are same.

[0020] The measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 is connected to ports at one side of fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113 having a high resolution capability, for detecting pressure change varied within the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93. Further, a reference cavity 120 having the resilient force of a thin film to apply and maintain a reference pressure, and is connected to ports at the other sides of the fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113.

[0021] The air compressor 80 in FIG. 5 supplies compressed air in the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 and the reference cavity 120. In the air compressor 80, the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 are connected to a first air supply line 131 and the reference cavity 120 is connected to a second air supply line 132.

[0022] Solenoid valves 141, 142 and 143 are installed in the first air supply line 131, in order to open and close the first air supply line 131 to isolate the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 from each other and maintain the inside the measuring cavity constant before measurement.

[0023] A solenoid 150 for maintaining the pressure exerted by the air compressor 80 between the differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113 and the reference cavity 120 is installed in the second air supply line 132, in order to open/close the second tube.

[0024] Meanwhile, a wrist depressing tube 160 supports the wrist from the bottom within the body 50, allows the depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 to be fixedly supported to the tendon 13 of the wrist and the radius bone (not show), and thus allows the contactors 101, 102 and 103 to easily contact the radial artery 11 is installed. The wrist depressing tube 160 is connected to the air compressor 80 and is thus filled with compressed air at set pressure by means of a controller 84. In other words, a solenoid valve (not shown) is installed at the tube side of the wrist depressing tube 160 and can be opened and closed by the command from controller 84.

[0025]FIG. 5 shows a state that the air compressor 80 is controlled by a known PWM (pulse width modulation) control method, in which the pressure within an compressed air storage 81 at the air compressor 80 is feedbacked to the controller 84 by means of a gauge pressure sensor 83 and the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 82 is thus controlled to generate a continuous pressure.

[0026] In other words, the air compressed in the air compressor 80 is stored at the air storage 81 and the amount of air exhausted is then controlled by the duty ratio of a square wave to adjust the opening/closing time of the solenoid valve 82 connected to the air storage 81.

[0027] An operation of the pressure generator is described below.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the wrist 10 is located at the wrist insertion space 51 of the measurement device body 50. If the air compressor 80 of FIG. 5 is then driven, the air storage 81 is filled with a compressed air. Then, the compressed air is supplied to the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 via the solenoid valves 141, 142 and 143 that are open and connected to the first air supply line 131. At the same time, the compressed air is supplied to the reference cavity 120 via the solenoid valve 150 that is open and connected to the second air supply line 132.

[0029] At this time, the pressure signal sensed by the gauge pressure sensor 83 in FIG. 5 is applied to the controller 84. The solenoid valves 141, 142, 143 and 150 is made open by means of the controller 84 until respective containers reach their set pressures.

[0030] At the same time, compressed air is also supplied to depressing cavities 71, 72 and 73 for equal pressure distribution and the wrist depressing tube 160 by the air compressor 80.

[0031] As such, if the compressed air in the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93, the reference cavity 120, the depressing cavities for equal pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73, and the wrist depressing tube 160 reach the pressure set in the controller 84, the solenoids 141, 142, 143 and 150 each connected to the containers are closed.

[0032] Therefore, the pressure on the side of the reference cavity 120 communicates the ports at one side of the fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113 and the pressure on the side of the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 applied to the ports at the other side of the fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113 are same. Thus, there is no difference in the pressure in the fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113.

[0033] Meanwhile, the pressure formed in the depressing cavities for equal pressure distribution 71, 72 and 73 serves to constantly press the depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 downwardly with a constant force. At the same time, the pneumatics applied to the wrist depressing tube 160 supports the wrist from the bottom.

[0034] Thus, the depressing frames 61, 62 and 63 apply a uniform force along the radial artery 11. At the same time, as the contactors 101, 102 and 103 each attached to the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 are protruded by some degree from a lower center of the depressing frames 61, 62 and 62, so that they press the radial artery 11 with a given pressure. At this time, the fine differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113 measure the difference in the pressure that is generated in the reference cavity 120 and the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 at three points along the radial artery 11. The measured difference in the pressure is transferred to the display and data storage unit 200, which then displays it as a waveform. In other words, according to the present invention, the force of the pulse of the radial artery 11 is transferred to the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 via respective contactors 101, 102 and 103 located at the three points. The pressure change in the measuring cavity for measurement 91, 92 and 93 is detected and compared with pressure inside the reference cavity by the differential pressure sensors 111, 112 and 113.

[0035] Therefore, assuming that each of the area of the contactors 101, 102 and 103 is “A”, the pressure within the radial artery 11 is “Pa”, the resultant force transferred to each of the contactors 101, 102 and 103 by means of the force exerted by pressure change inside the radial artery 11 is “Fa”, the pressure generated within the measuring cavities for measurement 91, 92 and 93 by means of the transfer force Fa is “Pm”, and the longitudinal cross section of the contactors is “A”,

[0036] Fa=Pa×A

[0037] Pm=Fa/A,

[0038] As a result, Pa=Pm.

[0039] In other words, the present invention employs a method by which the pressure Pm is obtained using contactors 101, 102 and 103 maintaining constant contact area with both measuring cavity and radial artery based on Principle of Tonometry.

[0040] As such, an example of a graph that is displayed through a pulse measurement device of the present invention is shown at Table 1 below.

[0041] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, the pulse pressure of the radial artery at three points varies the pressure within the measuring cavity for measurement via the contactors, which is then measured by means of the precision differential pressure sensors. Therefore, the present invention has an outstanding advantage that it can increase the resolution of the signal by comparing pressure inside of the measuring cavity with reference cavity maintaining constant pressure.

[0042] Further, the tightness compared to a conventional device in which the wrist directly contacts the piezoelectric device in order to measure the blood pressure can be improved much.

[0043] The present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in connection with a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings of the present invention will recognize additional modifications and applications within the scope thereof.

[0044] It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pressure pulse wave transducer for detecting pulse waves at three points of the human's wrist, comprising: a body having a space into which the wrist is suitably inserted in a longitudinal direction; three depressing frames consecutively isolated on an internal upper side of the body in the extending direction and movably installed up and down, said depressing frames contacting the wrist; a pressure means for uniformly pressing the plurality of the depressing frames; a plurality of measuring cavities for measurement each installed within the plurality of the depressing frames and filled with a constant compressed air before measurement; contactors into which are inserted the depressing frames for transferring the pulse pressure to the measuring cavities for measurement, said contactors being attached to the measuring cavities for measurement and located on the radial artery of the wrist; precision differential pressure sensors each connected to ports at one side of the measuring cavities for measurement for detecting pressure change in the measuring cavities for measurement; and a reference cavity connected to ports at the other side of the precision differential pressure sensors, for applying a reference pressure to the precision differential pressure sensors, said reference cavity having constant pressure, whereby the plurality of the contactors applies the same pressure to the radial artery at three points, and the pressure difference between the reference cavity and the measuring cavities for measurement, which are measured by the plurality of the precision differential pressure sensors, is simultaneously measured to detect the pulse wave of the radial artery.
 2. The pressure pulse wave transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure means includes depressing cavities for equal pressure distribution that communicate each other and positioned at an upper side of the plurality of the depressing frames and wherein said depressing cavities for equal pressure distribution have preset pneumatics.
 3. The pressure pulse wave transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measuring cavities for measurement and the reference cavity are connected to air compressor using first and second air supply lines; said pressure pulse wave transducer further includes solenoid valves for isolating the measuring cavities for measurement from the first air supply line, whereby compressed air is supplied by the air compressor and closed depending opening or closing of the solenoid valves; and said air compressor includes a controller for controlling a consecutive generation of pressure, which is connected to the gauge pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the air compressor.
 4. The pressure pulse wave transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said precision differential pressure sensors are connected to a display and data storage unit for storing the measured data and then displaying the data in a wave form.
 5. The pressure pulse wave transducer as claimed in claim 1, further including a wrist depressing tube built into an internal lower side of the body for pressing the wrist upwardly with an adequate force, wherein said wrist depressing tube is connected to an air compressor and is constructed to form a set pressure by means of a controller. 